From Friends to Lovers
by Kjsama
Summary: A list actor and bad boy Klaus Mikaelson has money and fame, but can't seem to get his best friend, the brutally honest and morally driven Caroline to see him as something more. Will he ever become more than her friend like his heart desires? Will she ever give him a chance?
1. Lines Crossed

**Chapter 1 - Lines Crossed - Edited 7/19/2015**

 **A/N This is a writing exercise to help me get in the mood to writing for my other fics. It will be a drabble at most. This story idea has been in my head so I'm taking it out and putting it out there. Hope you like it!**

 **Klaus POV**

Before I even see her, I know she's here.

My heart rate quickens and my eyes leap to where the red carpet of the Oscars begins, trying to get a glimpse of my best friend.

I hadn't seen her in months since Tyler died. She readily pushed me away, insisting she was fine. She swore to castrate me and block my number if I made any move to go to her to my dismay.

 _"Just promise me to walk away from this and never come back,"_ she had pleaded with me.

I couldn't understand why she couldn't see I wanted to be there for her as she had been for me.

But she hadn't, my calls eventually going unanswered, bringing forth fury and hurt.

Who was she to deny me? She was nothing but a small town girl with a small town life and if that is all she wanted, why did it matter to me?

It didn't.

But it did.

I had stopped calling, and told myself I was done with Caroline Forbes.

Then the Oscar nomination came through and in my happiness, all I can think of is how I wanted her to be there, the person responsible for me making me believe I can be so much more than what I had been: a mediocre actor in a failing TV show.

So, after months of no contact and in a leap of faith, I sent her a ticket to be my plus one, a dress, and the card bearing the prepaid order number of the limo service that would pick her up, hoping she would take the bait. I didn't want to come on too strong, offering to pick her up myself after all. I even threw in an all expense paid spa treatment in there to leave her with no excuse.

It seems to have been the right move.

When Caroline turns the corner, waving behind her with a brilliant smile painted on her flawless features, my breath runs off and my jaw goes slack.

She is nothing short of ravishing.

Her blonde locks had grown to her back, cascading like a river full of waves. Her lips are blood red, enticing and that dress...

Nothing good can come from that dress.

I had half expected her to burn it upon arrival, but she worn it, pride and adoration soaring through me. Clearly, the goody good, all morals, demure councilman's daughter is gone out the window, and Bill Forbes, more than likely, would be standing in line to stake her daughter for wearing such a revealing...

Jaw dropping...

Luscious dress.

The nude color shade of the dress is made of a silk fabric that shimmers like crystals in a chandelier under the flashes of cameras and bright headlights, leaving little to the imagination but remained tasteful and elegant in style.

The dress is both naughty and regal all at the same time, so like her.

She choose to wear diamond tear drop earrings and necklace set that accentuates the long curve of her slender neck. I can't help but visualize wrapping my hand around it to tilt it back so I can take those teasing red lips into my mouth _finally_ and..

"Pick that jaw up from the floor Mikaelson. You're embarrassing yourself," she says with a laugh under her breath, sauntering to my side. Her arm wraps around my waist in affectionate side hug, forcing me to look down at her and I note how right that feels against my will. Her perky breasts threaten to spill from the deep v cut exposing her cleavage and GOD is that a beauty mark on her left tit?!

 _Bloody hell sweetheart..._

I let out a grunt and a hiss when she pinches my side sharply, her smile never leaving her face as she says through gritted teeth:

"You're staring."

I recover quickly some semblance of normalcy to reply smoothly with a smirk:

"It happens when one is in the presence of genuine beauty."

She rolls her eyes, but her smile brightens, my smile broadening in return.

"I told you, I'm..."

"...Too smart to be seduced by me. I know."

"Then why do you bother?" she asks, curious, looking up at me.

I suck in a breath at that and I opt not to answer, unwrapping her arm around me to take her hand and move us along the line so we don't hold it up any longer.

She doesn't let the conversation go however.

"Klaus?" she presses.

"I'm glad you came," I say abruptly, meeting her eyes as they widen at my admission.

She clears her throat, uncomfortable with the serious tone in my voice. "Well. It was either this or rewatching my wedding videos," she tries to say lightly but the shadow that crosses over her face says different, her pain evident. I hated Lockwood with a passion and would gladly dance over his grave, but to see how much the lost of him still weighed on her heart...

"Caroline..."

"Don't. Seriously," she says sharply. "I'm not here to do this with you. Not with you."

I clench my jaw, biting back the rejection and the need to push her but I give her a stiff nod, turning away, walking forward.

She pulls me back with a sigh, finding her eyes apologetic.

"I'm...sorry. That was...I don't want to talk about Tyler tonight. I came here because I missed my best friend and want to be here for his big night. Forgive me?" she says hopefully, batting her eyelashes and grasping my arm.

I want to be angry at her, I truly do, but I'm failing, especially when she lets her lower lip fall into a pout and I relent.

"Very well sweetheart."

She lets out an excited squeal, giving me a quick kiss that sends electricity surging through me as I close my eyes briefly at the feeling despite the camera shutters clicking full blast, capturing the moment.

She pulls away and I yearn for her to get that close again. As always, she is oblivious of my feelings. Being her bubbly self, she asks about everything she has missed in all the months she's been gone: Leaving _Interview with the Original Hybrid_ cast after my divorce with Tatia _,_ the movie audition, landing the role, my rise to super-stardom, the Oscar nomination.

I tell her all of it, and her honesty about everything is bittersweet, reminding me how much I missed this.

Missed her.

Missed us.

* * *

Three hours in the club that the Oscar After Party is taking place, alcohol accentuating the adrenaline coursing through me after my Oscar win, I find I don't recognize my best friend having the time of her life with Rebekah on the dance floor.

This is not the Caroline Forbes I was used to.

The Caroline Forbes I knew is always restrained, inhibited, in control.

But the girl before me is free, unleashed, vibrant.

I've never seen anything so beautiful.

"She's a tasty little thing," says Kol talking beside me, pointing his glass at the dancing Caroline and Rebekah in the middle of the floor.

I see his desires a mile a way, throwing him a glare.

"Say another word and I'll tear out your liver," I growl.

He smirks. "It just might be worth it. I can't believe this is the little friend you've been talking about, that you dedicated your Oscar to. Shame on you and Rebekah from hiding her from us all. Truth be told, I can see why you fancy her, if that acceptance speech is anything to go by. Still in the 'just friends' zone?"

I look away, uncomfortable, taking a gulp of my drink with his accurate assessment.

"I'll take that as a yes," he says with a laugh and swig of his drink.

I shrug.

"And you're unhappy about it?" Kol says, perplexed, eyebrow arched.

I let out a huff. "Is there a point to these meaningless observations of yours?" I say irritably.

"I never knew you had problems getting women. Maybe Tatia messed up your style," he teases.

"This has nothing to do with that cheating whore," I seethe, not appreciating the reference. "Caroline is...different."

"How? She would be just another shag right?"

"Not to me."

Kol looks taken aback. "Nik. Don't tell me you want her want her?" he says, like the very notion is ludicrous. "She seems nice but at the end of the day, she's spoiled goods. A widow from some backwater town that no one cares about, a brainless blonde from the looks of it. And you're an A list, Oscar winning actor who can have any model, any woman..."

I slam the glass down hard, some liquor spilling on my hands at the force, so furious I was with Kol at his belittling of Caroline. If he wasn't my brother, I would have snapped his neck. "Caroline is light years away from any of them and I don't want them! Don't you think I've tried to forget her while I'm in the arms of said models, actresses Kol? It doesn't work! Hers is the only face I see, her voice is the one I want to hear and it's driving me mad! I..." I run my hand through my hair in exasperation. "I don't know what to do," I confess softly, unable to stop talking now. I have a sneaking suspicious it's the alcohol but who bloody cares.

"I want more, but she's still doesn't see me more than a friend. I doubt she's even attracted to me..." I say mournfully.

Kol lets out a derisive laugh. "You're Klaus freaking Mikaelson!" retorts Kol in shrilly. "Even _I_ know that means something to a wide variety of the female population!"

I give him a dismissive wave, continuing in my wallowing. "Not to Caroline. She's still hung up on that dog Tyler who did nothing but cheat on her till he died and she loves Mystic Falls too much to even think of leaving even though..."

I turn to look at Caroline fondly as she takes a break from dancing to talk with group of models and actors who laugh wholeheartedly at a joke she just made.

"She's made to be so much greater," I say longingly.

There is a long pause, then:

"Holy shit Nik. You _love_ her!" says Kol mindblown.

I whirl at the accusation, eyes wide, ready to deny.

"I..."

Then I think of all the times Caroline and I shared, how she made me feel whenever she would touch me, how complete I feel in her presence, how I pined for her for months where other women would be forgotten in a night.

 _By God..._ I think, the realization dawning on me.

A body collides with mine, knocking me out of my revelry.

I catch her while she brushes the curls from her face, revealing the woman who I just realized holds my heart in her hand.

"Sorry Klaus. I tripped," Caroline says with a hiccup, smiling.

I steady her, reading her face. She's wasn't quite drunk, but it's clear she's getting close.

"I'm cutting you off love," I say to her, my concern evident.

She goes ramrod straight, upset. "You are not! Besides. You're more drunk than me!" she cries petulantly.

I give her a lopsided grin. "Without a doubt, but time to slow down."

She grabs onto me boldly and slips her hand in the opening of my dress shirt, the top buttons having gone undone during the night. I suck in a deep breath, my smile falling from my face, unused to Caroline touching me in such a way. Her fingertips glide over my necklaces, my chest and I'm hard in under a second.

"Klaus," she whispers in my ear. "You need to be a good _friend_ and get drunk with me," her lips brushing against the shell of my ear. I swear the word friend never sounded so dirty.

Kol chimes in, jumping off his stool. "Well. I'll leave you two to it. Hate being a third wheel."

She smiles brightly at him. "You can never be a third wheel Kol. Klaus barely gets to see you so please don't go away because of me. He won't say it, but he misses you."

Her easygoing honesty hits its mark, as usual, unbeknownst to her.

A strange look comes over Kol's face, assessing her as she takes a free drink off the counter and gulps it down in one go. I wince.

"If you are determined to get drunk, then perhaps I might recommend something a little more sanitary," I say.

She quirks an eyebrow at me, then glances at my unfinished glass behind me. She grabs it. Without breaking eye contact, she slowly drinks the glass and when finished, licks the rim.

I swallow hard at that, my lips seconds ago being where she is licking so lasciviously.

"That was mine love," I say huskily.

She kisses the rim for good measure before putting it down. "I know."

My heart turns to lead and I forget to breathe.

"Okay. I'm out of here," I barely register Kol running off, too focused on the alluring woman before me.

I manage a response to her comment.

"Well then. You showed me."

I hear the refilling of the drinking glass, our eyes locked, so many unsaid words between us. The air thrums not from the music but the sexual tension around us.

"Mind putting two straws in that?" she says to the bartender, her gaze boring into mine. "I need to share."

Okay. We are definitely crossing some new territory here.

"Caroline," I say, my voice strangled. "What are you doing?"

"Having fun with my Oscar winning bestie, what else?" she says in feign innocence, watching herself stroke my chest, her finger brushing against a nipple occasionally.

"Are we?" I mumble into the crown of her head, her touch making my mind foggy with the liquor. "Having fun?"

"Did you mean it?" she says suddenly, her tone no longer teasing, looking up at me beneath her lashes. "What you said when you won?"

My expression softens, my hand lifting to caress her cheek to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.

"Every word."

She breaks eye contact with me to grab the now filled drink behind me.

I follow her every move, waiting for her to say more.

She brings the drink to her lips and tilts the extra straw to my lips with her finger in invitation, and I slowly take it between my lips. Our noses brush as we slowly sip, our eyes reading the other's. Hers darken with apparent lust when I roll the straw on my tongue before my lips close on it to sip again. She draws closer, and I drop my straw, eyes closing as we nuzzle.

Our lips are a hair away from meeting, my mind growing irrational with the need to close the distance.

"Caroline..." I groan, still baring some sobriety to see where this is going. I can hear the other part of me ready to kill myself for rejecting her. "We can't..."

My next words turn into a puff of smoke the second her lips brush over mine.

I feel the glass fall from our hands and I hear a faint crash as I enthusiastically pass my hand over her cheek, under her hair and kiss her the way I've wanted to all night.

She lets out a moan of delight, deepening our kiss and my blood boils in my veins like liquid fire.

Was this really happening right now? Was there something special in the drinks making me hallucinate?

Her tongue passes my lips to play with mine, and things really become wild then. I get greedy and she doesn't complain when I grab her roughly to kiss her more deeply. Her hands are more daring, and my free hand drops past her waist wrapping around it so I can have her in intimate embrace that leaves no space between us.

She bites on my lip and I grind into her, making her gasp and breaking the kiss. Her chest raises and falls heavily with mine. My eyes devouring her.

I had to have her.

She agrees, for she demands breathlessly:

"Your place."

* * *

The door to my mansion slamming, panting breaths and clothes coming off is the only sounds resonating from the walls.

She pushes me on the nearby leather sectional, the material cool on my heated skin. My mouth goes slightly ajar as she peels her dress off her shoulders, her breasts spilling out with no bra or fabric to hold them. Her nipples are hard and ready, the moonlight playing off her skin nothing short of otherworldly.

Paint worthy.

She pulls her dress down, and I see she is wearing no knickers underneath.

The thought makes me harder than I've ever been and my mouth goes dry.

"Come here," I command, my voice coming off stronger than I feel because the mere sight of her naked makes me feel weak.

She smiles softly as she slides over me like a cat, her knees caging my torso when my hands go up impatiently to pull her down for another one of her kisses that has quickly become my new addiction.

I can do that for a thousand years.

As if hearing me and disagreeing, she pulls away to rain kisses down my neck, my eyes rolling back at the sensation. I push her into me by the arch of her back against my erection, bucking into her and her rubbing her wetness back on it till the head of my cock tries to plunge in to her entrance and finds my dress pants still there.

So close...

She bites gently on my neck and I grip her arm in response. My brain is nearly mush at this point, but becomes coherent briefly when I hear Caroline unlatch my belt and starts to tug on my pants and boxers.

I grab her wrist, stopping her. Despite the dim lightning, I can see the blue green of her eyes wanting me, her puffy lips begging for another tussle with mine.

She continues to rub her bare sex over my hard on, and I moan.

"You're killing me moving like that," I say breathlessly.

"I want you inside of me Klaus," she whispers. "I always wondered how it would feel like, even when I was with Tyler."

My eyes grow wide at her confession, knowing she had to be far gone to admit something like that to me.

I'm not a good person. I've never been so sure of that until now, because I can't stop myself from taking advantage.

I tilt her head with my hand to look at me.

"What else have you wondered about?" I ask.

I see her slide down, missing her body heat immediately, till her face is above my erection and she smoothly yanks the pants and boxers successfully this time, so entranced I am with the image before me.

She is over my manhood, licking her lips, when answers my question, my full attention on her.

"Do you taste as good as you look..."

Those are her final words before she takes all of me into her mouth and I'm stunned she's able to take it all.

It's a whirlwind after that.

Caroline's skill in the bedroom, to my delight, rivals my own. The liquor makes her confident, me, impulsive. After I come in her warm mouth, I pleasure her with my own, hearing her cry out my name for the first time.

I'm determined, possessed to hear it more, my name sounding so great from her lips.

We shag all night. On the couch, on the floor...

By the end of our fourth time, we are on my bed in my room, exhausted.

She instantly falls asleep at my side, allowing me to caress her hair, her face. I'm more sober now unfortunately, and more than aware that this night had officially crossed the line of friends to lovers.

We are amazing together. There is no way now that I've had her, that I'll allow myself to be only her friend. Her stubbornness and aloofness be damned, she's mine.

Last night proved she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Loyalty to her dead husband, family and social ties to her hometown, were keeping her acting on it.

No more.

She's mine.

And I'm not letting go.

* * *

I squint at the bright light hitting my face, then groan, turning away from it.

I pull the blanket over my head and stretch out my hand across the mattress.

It takes me a full minute to realize that mattress is not what I should be feeling.

I bolt up out of the bed, wide awake, looking frantically around to find Caroline gone.

I glance down at my naked body, just to confirm that what I thought happened last night happened.

Then the rage comes in.

How dare she treat me like some sordid one night stand?!

I throw some clothes on and run out the mansion. It is in a secluded area, and if she tried to call a taxi, they would need to use the buzzer at the gate to get in and since I didn't hear it, she still had to be in the property.

Unless she walked.

Even then she would need a key and then:

I stop in my tracks when I get to the end of the winding driveway to find Caroline bent over the gate entrance in her evening gown, picking the lock.

I smirk. So much more than a pretty face.

"Come on," she says listening to the key tumblers as she picks the lock. "Almost...YES!" she shouts, leaping in triumph when the lock gives.

I watch her wait for the gate to open, but her smile turns to a frown when a side compartment opens up, revealing a screen requesting a thumbprint.

"Seriously Klaus!" she cries in exasperation. "Who the hell is _that_ paranoid?"

I scoff, folding my arms. "Look in the mirror sweetheart. You're just as bad."

She spins at my voice, startled and her face going pale.

It is void of makeup, but clean, clearly taking the time to make herself presentable before making her escape. I berate myself for not catching her sooner and quietly applaud her for leaving so stealthily.

"Klaus."

My eyes narrow at her as I close the distance between us.

"Sorry to disrupt your smooth getaway sweetheart. I am nothing but a one night shag after all."

Her eyes widen, mortified. "Klaus. No. That's not what you are."

"Then what am I Caroline?!" I snap at her, furious.

"My friend!"

" 'Your _friend?_ ' " I spit out incredulously. "I don't think _friends_ scream each other's names out in ecstasy and make love all night!"

She averts her gaze, flustered but I grab her face, not letting her escape at all. "I don't think _friends_ make the confessions you made last night," I add, giving her a meaningful stare.

She steps away as if burned, glaring at me.

"I was drunk and you took advantage!" she accuses.

My anger flares. "We didn't do anything you didn't want to do!"

"I would NEVER sleep with you in my right mind! You KNOW that!"

"Because I'm a drunkard, a man whore and in general, a rotten person?" I offer up bitterly.

"Yes!" she says immediately and I'm hurt she thinks so low of me.

"You wanted me and I wanted you!" I say angrily. "Yes, I'm not a good person and we were drunk and maybe we wouldn't have had sex but it doesn't change the fact that you're attracted to me. Admit it!"

"Fine! You're hot and you got killer dimples and an amazing accent and I had the biggest crush on your character from IWOH till season 3 and maybe that spilled on to the real you but whatever! I love Tyler!"

"Tyler is dead! He was a fucking lowlife cheater that didn't give damn about you and fucked his secretary Hayley Marshall till he dropped dead!"

 _Fuck._

The words are already out of mouth, hanging in the air and landing on its intended target with killer accuracy.

Caroline's eyes widen, welling up with tears.

"Wh-What?" she squeaks.

I can stab myself for revealing this to her this way. "Caroline..." I start in apology.

"Oh...Oh _God!_ " she cries, her hands going to her hair, her eyes big, falling apart in front of me. I rush to her, wanting to fix it, wanting to take it back, but when I touch her, she recoils from me.

"Don't EVER touch me again," she lashes out at me venomously like a whip.

It is in that moment that I knew I had lost her completely.

Not a lover, not even a friend anymore...

Nothing.

She fights to compose herself, staring at me coldly and I nearly step back at the hate I see there.

"How long did you know?" she demands.

I swallow hard.

"I..."

"HOW LONG NIKLAUS?!" and I blink at her using my full name, feeling like chastised child.

"A year."

She gapes at me and shakes her head.

"I didn't want to hurt you love..." I try to explain softly.

"Open the gate," she demands abruptly.

I clench my teeth at her cutting me off, and I come to terms she is too angry to listen to reason, to give me a chance. A real chance.

I brush past her, unapologetic for brushing my body against hers as I put my print in. I stare down at her as the gate opens, her eyes staring stoically ahead.

This can't be it. I can't lose her because of this.

"Let me drive you back," I say.

"No."

"You can't walk, especially in those heels back to town..."

She bends over to pull off her shoes, leaving them in the ground, straightening up pridefully.

"I'll send the dress back to you after I've gotten it dry cleaned."

I frown. "I don't want it. It's yours."

"I'll just burn it then," she says flatly and the symbolism doesn't pass my radar for one second.

I grab her roughly by her arms, snapping. "So that is what you want?!" I growl in her face. "To burn me from your life? Erase me like I never happened?!" The hurt is swelling in his chest, attempting to choke the life out of me.

"Now that you mention it..." she starts spitefully and I can't take it.

"You can't go," I say, emotion clogging my throat. "You have to let me explain. We have to talk about last night."

"I don't have to do anything. Last night was a mistake."

"Not for me."

Her mouth drops and I plow forward, using her stunned silence to talk.

"You asked me if I meant what I said in my acceptance speech. I did. You were the only one to make me believe I could be more than what I was. I would of never gone to that audition if it wasn't for your brutal honesty the day we met."

"Klaus..." she says, her eyes softening, shaking her head as my hands fly up to her face, my thumbs stroking her cheeks like the most precious treasure.

"You, out of everyone, was the one person I wanted beside me as I went to get that Oscar," I say, vulnerable with nothing more to lose.

She bites her lip, about to cry.

"You Caroline. You! Why do you think that is?" I finish earnestly, needing her to understand.

Her eyes snap up to mine, and something she sees in my face scares her, making her pull away from me.

"You can't..." she mutters softly, and I can see her finally connecting the dots.

"I lo-"

"No! NO Klaus!" she cuts my off strongly. "I can't. You can't mean it!"

I step into her space again, my anger crawling back to the surface. "I didn't finish," I growl.

"It doesn't matter. We're done," she says dismissively. "Just forget about me."

And a bullet to the heart would have been a more gentler pain than the one her words invoke.

She turns away from me, stalking off and taking my heart with her.

* * *

After some time, I manage to robotically walk back to my front door. I waste no time raiding my bar and taking bottle of scotch to the sectional. I automatically turn on my TV, and freeze.

"So it looks like the bombshell blonde Klaus Mikaelson had on his arm during the red carpet and dedicated his Oscar to are more than friends!" says the female reporter excitedly. "In the E! Exclusive photo shot shown here from the Oscar After Party last night, the two can't keep their hands off each other as they make out!"

 _Shit._

* * *

 **A/N Well. That's that. Feel free to leave a review!**


	2. Out in the Open

**Chapter 2 - Out in the Open - Edited 10/12/2015**

 **A/N You guys are too good and this writing exercise is a bit fun. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last! :).**

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* * *

 **Caroline POV - Three Days Later**

 _"Last night was a mistake."_

 _"Not for me."_

I bite down hard on my lower lip, sitting in my first class ticket seat on the plane back to Virginia, trying not to cry again, reliving my last moments with Klaus over and over again in my mind.

 _"..._ _You were the only one to make me believe I could be more than what I was. I would of never gone to that audition if it wasn't for your brutal honesty the day we met."_

I feel the warm tears trickle down my cheeks anyway and I curse under my breath for failing to be strong, lifting my sunglasses just enough so I can wipe my eyes with a piece of tissue that is quickly becoming useless being so wet.

 _It doesn't matter,_ I tell myself again for the billionth time. _He still didn't tell you about Tyler. Just because you slept with him that night doesn't mean anything has to change._

But it has _._

Because I enjoyed it. Every second of it.

Isn't that the real problem Caroline? Why you ran so hard? Klaus not telling you about Tyler being a cheat was hurtful yes, but the real issue is that you finally let the bad boy ruffle your perfect little feathers and you loved it!

 _No! That isn't true!_ I argue with myself.

 _"You wanted me and I wanted you!"_ the memory of what Klaus said coming in as a retort.

I close my eyes, defeated.

I did. I've wanted him a _long_ time. Even when I was with Tyler, there were times I thought about how it would be to be with Klaus Mikaelson.

Not just a friend, but MORE.

But I never dreamed it would actual HAPPEN!

This is Klaus Mikaelson okay! Maybe some weird fate stuff happened for us to cross paths, but for me to catch his eye? To think of him wanting me LIKE THAT when he's been married to supermodels like Tatia Petrova?

Yeah, no. That night was really a mistake. He totally was still hungover, high off his Oscar win, maybe even drunk still, I don't know, but I'm not Klaus' type, let's get real here. I'm a small town girl with a small town life and a widow, hardly A lister girlfriend material.

 _But what if you_ are _his type?_ says my irritable mental voice in my head.

Out of my control, my mind is going back to that night.

The way it felt when he pulled me up from the bed to grasp me possessively against him, his head against my chest, his hot mouth raining hot kisses on my breasts reverently as I cocked my head back and screamed his name while he thrusted powerfully into me.

My stomach clenches at the image, eyes fluttering closed for different reasons now, wetness pooling between my thighs.

 _"Caroline..."_

Just the memory of how he said my name...The husky baritone of his voice making his already alluring accent a powerful, sensual drug that even now sends shivers down my spine.

God.

I shift in the seat uncomfortable, pushing down my growing arousal by choosing to focus on the hard, painful facts for the billionth time in the last three days I spent mourning the lost of Klaus:

I'm done with him.

He said he was my friend but didn't bother to tell me my husband was cheating on me for a year.

There's no way he really cared.

If he hid something like that, who knows what else he's hiding. He can't be trusted.

What relationship can survive without trust?

None.

So it's better to forget. To go home. Try to move on from Tyler with some random nice guy.

Have 3.5 kids, a dog...

Easy.

 _Then why does it hurt so much?_ My eyes burning with tears again.

"Miss."

I snap my head to the voice, eyes opening, startled.

"Please put your seat beat on," says the blonde stewardess with a smile. "We're coming in for a landing."

I nod, swallowing a lump in my throat as I look back out the window.

 _Get it together Caroline! You're in public now. No more crying till you get home._

 _"Okay folks,"_ says the pilot from the overhead speaker a few minutes later as the plane taxis around the runway. _"We have arrived at Reagan. Please wait for the seat belt light to turn off and for the plane to come to a halt before reaching for your belongings. Thank you for riding American Airlines and have a great day!"_

Yeah. Great day. Right. I haven't had a great day since Tyler died thanks.

Because that night did not happen. Nope.

I did not sleep with my best friend who seriously is a sex God for being the first man to make me see stars when I come, Tyler being so focused on getting himself off that my sexual needs went unrealized most of the time.

Heat flashes through me as I inadvertently remember my sex session with Klaus in his house, his hot mouth taking my nub between those sinfully amazing lips for a man and...

 _Stop thinking about it Caroline!_ _Ugh_. _Damn it. I'm going to need to take the edge off with Enzo when I get home._

And no, I won't be reliving sexy times with he-who-must-not-be-named during this time.

I turn my phone on for the first time in three days, not being in a mood to talk to anyone since I left Klaus' place. I grab my bags when the seat belt light goes off and my phone comes to life.

Then it begins.

Missed calls, voicemails, and text message alerts flood the screen of my phone.

I had expected some but...

I unlock my phone.

"112 missed calls! Seriously..." I moan.

My stomach drops in dread as I play the first voicemail, just as I step off the plane and into the terminal where a horde of paparazzi is waiting.

 _What the hell?!_

Cameras are flashing full force, questions are being thrown at me in rapid fire as I stand there shocked, phone forgotten in my hands.

A half second later, a hand has grabbed my arm in a vice grip, pulling me away hurriedly.

I glare at guy who grabbed me, fighting and twisting to no avail, having no choice but to run with him as he pulls me forward, away from the press.

"You jerk!" I shout in his face as he pushes me into the back of a black Cadillac limo and gets into the driver seat.

I move forward, just as the door locks and the vehicle moves.

I am so not getting kidnapped on top of all of this!

"Hey. _HEY!_ Asshole! You don't know who you're messing with! I'm..."

"...The former wife of the late Mayor Lockwood, daughter of Councilman William and Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes."

I jump away from the deep male voice who said that behind me, hand over my heart, taking a deep breath to steady it.

"Oh my god. I can't," I say, closing my eyes. "Who the hell.." I start to say, opening my eyes and freezing at the familiar face I've only seen in pictures up till this point.

"Your savior it would seem," he says calmly in his impeccable Armani suit, rifling through a folder that seems to have my name on it.

"You're Elijah..." I say in awe. There was a point during my time with Klaus that I thought Elijah wasn't even real.

He looks up at me then, and I know I've caught his attention.

"Niklaus has spoken of me to you?" he says in surprise and I get the feeling he isn't a person in which that usually happens to.

"So you _are_ Elijah. Wow," I say with attitude, folding my arms and turning away in disgust. "Nice of you to finally show your face."

"Pardon?" he says genuinely confused and the picture of innocence.

I roll my eyes. "I don't know why you're here but you can let me out before I do something I regret. Sitting in the same car as you is making me nauseous. Any man who could sleep with his brother's wife and disappear without a trace until years later disgusts me."

Elijah has the nerve to look amused, his lips aching to form a smile he suppresses, looking back down into the folder in his hands.

"What?" I finally snap, irritated. There really wasn't anything funny about what I said.

"I can see why he loves you," he says softly, not looking up.

I stop breathing, my mouth falling open.

I eventually recover. "Klaus doesn't love me," I say with certainty, almost laughing in his face.

He closes the folder, giving me his full attention. "Oh, he does. I assure you. He would never had called me to help you, and allowed himself to look weak if he didn't."

My eyes widen, acknowledging how monumental that very act must of been for him, if true.

Klaus hated Elijah. Swore to never forgive him for sleeping with Tatia. We had so many conversations about him needing to forgive and let go. Not because Elijah deserved it, but because he needed to for his own sanity, his own quality of life.

It is the one concession he wouldn't make. Through all the rehab, mourning over Henrick, his own insecurities about never being a better actor than he was...

Forgiving Elijah was something he would never do, he said.

But he had called him and Elijah was here.

For me?

"What is happening that Klaus would call you?" I ask, not sure I want the answer. "What's with the press?"

He grabs a nearby remote and turns on the TV that is installed in the car.

I watch for a moment, then groan when I see a picture of Klaus and I making out during the Oscar after party, not a inch of space between us.

Mortified, I hide my face behind my hands. "This is NOT happening right now," I mutter in my hands, wanting to disappear.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Forbes, it is. The press has been covering it for the past three days. Have you not turned on your television?"

No. Too busy crying my eyes out.

I look up at him, about to lose it. "I can't do this. I just want to go home. Forget this happened!" I cry shrilly.

"Forget Niklaus?"

I blink, lose for words, reading his soft expression before he goes on.

"I have the power to make this go away or make it better, but Niklaus has made it clear that the choice will need to be yours. A demand from him, truth be told, I would never have dreamed coming from his mouth, knowing how much he revels in control. Yet, for some reason, he yields it to you. Not even with Tatia was he capable of doing such a thing."

I break eye contact when he weighs me down with a penetrating stare as if by looking at me, he can get the answer to Klaus' actions. I try to stay cold toward his last statement about Klaus, but butterflies are fluttering in my stomach and my lips turn up into a small smile.

 _Not even with Tatia was he capable of doing such a thing._

Not even Tatia.

I'm feeling a sense of satisfaction at that, right when Elijah says abruptly:

"What exactly is your relationship with my brother?"

My smile falls, my face hardening and voice coming out harsh.

"I don't have a relationship with Klaus. Not anymore," I say, looking out the window, a fresh wave of anger coming over me. Still can't believe he didn't tell me about Tyler.

"So you did at one point? Of a romantic nature?"

I laugh, finally looking at him to catch the arch of his eyebrow towards my reaction. "Last night was an accident, and no. Not everyone is like you and would sleep with someone who belongs to someone else. Some of us do have morals we follow, not just talk about," I say a matter-of-factly.

I see a shadow go over his face, and the pain that rests there. I mentally face palm for being so blunt.

"Sorry," I say with a wince. The first time I said things about Tatia, I was being mean but this time..."I shouldn't have said that," I say in apology. "You were just asking a reasonable question..."

"No," he says, leaning back with a sigh. "You were being honest. I know you weren't being malicious this time. I won't deny it being difficult to hear, however. I am hypocrite," he says quietly, guilty.

"Yeah, but you can work on it," I say, not missing a beat.

His eyes widen in shock, and I get ready to apologize again for my lack of filter, knowing I should just shut up, but he starts to laugh.

Like, _genuinely_ laugh, till the brown of his eyes twinkle, and he looks much younger, carefree.

I relax.

"You...You weren't supposed to agree aloud to my self assessment Ms. Forbes," he says, the laughter still resting on what I can now see is a very handsome face.

 _He should smile more,_ I can't help but think.

"I figured," I say, smiling back at him.

"How about this? I vow to work on my hypocrisy if you would be so kind to answer my questions about you and Niklaus."

I shrug, leaning back too.

"Shoot."

"If you and Niklaus are not romantically involved and that night between you was simply a drunken episode..."

"We're friends." I swallow back the emotion when I think about how things have changed for the worse. "We _were_ friends. He was the best."

"Niklaus doesn't have friends," he says bluntly.

My smile returns, secretly liking I was special to Klaus. "Oh I know. He's an emotional cripple that one. He's violent, a control freak, suffers from paranoia, a drunk, biopolar, _I swear_ he is even though he hasn't been diagnosed," I say, firmly standing by the last comment.

Elijah's eyes go alight with amusement as I continue.

"But..." I smile softly. "He's so loyal, viciously protective of those he loves, passionate about life and all things of _genuine beauty,"_ I say that trying to mimic his accent but knowing I failed.

Whatever.

"He's crazy talented, and a _great_ friend," I add softly, getting choked up as my vision starts to get blurry. "Really he is when you get passed all the temper tantrums and drama queen stuff. He's..." I sigh with a helpless shrug, wiping my eyes quickly, "...Amazing and I'll miss him. I really will and...Damn I was doing so good with the no crying. Now I'm doing it all..."

A handkerchief comes into view, cutting my off. I smile weakly, taking it, dabbing my eyes under my sunglasses

"I am sorry," he says solemnly. "I did not mean to sadden you. It seems you care great deal about my brother."

I nod, haven't found my voice yet.

"Yet I still fail to understand how it is you two even met. Forgive me, but you do not seem like the type to circulate in the same social circles as Niklaus."

I smile at the memory of our meeting. So funny it was.

"Well," I sniff, my smile returning. "It's all Bekah's fault."

Now Elijah looks confused. "Rebekah?"

Yep.

* * *

 **Two Years Ago - Mystic Falls, Virginia**

 _"Did you watch the last episode of Interview with the Original Hybrid? It's SO disgraceful. I had such high hopes..." grumbles Elena, looking like she might cry._

 _I sympathize._

 _"You're not the only one," I say, and Bonnie nods in agreement as she sips her milkshake during our weekly girls night out at the Mystic Grill._

 _"I mean there_ is _a reason I don't watch it anymore," I add._

 _"I know, I know, but he's so cute and I can't help it!" whines Elena._

 _I let out a laugh at the mention of our long time fictional crush. "Oh my god Elena. Nikolas is gone. He died in his last season of The Vampire Memoirs, I'm telling you! His sucky doppelganger is on that show."_

 _"I'm starting to think you're right," says Elena in defeat. "I think I need to stop watching."_

 _"You know I was totally done when they staked Nikolas' brother in that kitchen," says Bonnie with an upset look on her face, sipping her milkshake a little_ too _strongly._

 _"I KNOW!" I cry, the memory of Nikolas's brother Nate dying still making me want to cry. "He was like one of the best characters in TVM. We honestly should of stopped watching then. Saved ourselves a lot of heartache."_

 _They all let a hum of agreement, and the silence after just gives me a chance to further ponder the fall of my former favorite TV show and the colossal disappointment that is the spin-off_ Interview with the Original Hybrid, _good ole_ IWOH.

 _"I mean what were they thinking?" I say suddenly in exasperation, jolting both Elena and Bonnie from their meal._

 _"Huh?" they say in unison._

 _"Those writers! I mean, Nikolas was such an epically evil character and..."_

 _"Here we go again. Caroline's IWOH tirade," says Elena with a smile._

 _"Order her a Cosmo from Matt," says Bon. "She's going to go on for awhile."_

 _I blush furiously, embarrassed. "Shut up," I mumble, taking a bite of my burger. "Elena started it."_

 _"True," say Bon, while Elena utters a "hey!" in mock betrayal. "We just know how passionate you get about all this. Matt!" shouts Bonnie._

 _Like good friends, they let me go on about my frustrations with the show, from the horrible plot, the writers, all the way to the actors._

 _Especially one in particular._

 _"It soooooo obvious he's incredibly talented," I say later on, walking up with them towards the Mystic Grill exit._

 _"If Klaus Mikaelson wants to make his money on a failing TV show, what is it to you? Are you still crushing on him?" says Elena with a mischievous twinkle in her eye._

 _"What? NO!" I cry out mortified. "That is SO high school! TVM Nikolas is my forever crush and maybe I still liked him till season 3 of IWOH, but the guy in real life? Klaus? Like, seriously? No. He is an ultra douchebag, drinking his life away during hiatuses, getting arrested multiple times. Yeah. No thanks."_

 _Elena shrugs while Bonnie narrows her gaze at me._

 _"What?" I say, shifting uncomfortably under her persistent stare after awhile._

 _"Care. You trying to tell me, US, that if Klaus Mikaelson walked through that door," she says, pointing at the Grill entrance, "you wouldn't get even a_ little _star struck? You, out of all us, has been the biggest fan for like a bajallion years. You really wouldn't be fazed at all?"_

 _I roll my eyes, calling her out on what she is really getting at. "No Bon. I wouldn't. Besides, I'm married remember? Fantasizing about these hypothetical scenarios is pointless. I love Tyler," I end with a fond smile, thinking of my husband._

 _It's Bonnie's turn, the only single one out of us, to roll her eyes. "Yeah, but indulge me. Klaus Mikaelson is crazy hot and rich. Say he comes up to you with that crazy sexy British accent of his, and is like:_

 _She stands up straight, and puffs out her chest before she talks, making Elena and I fall out laughing._

 _"Hello love," she says in the most horrible English accent ever._

 _Elena and I lean on a nearby bar for support, laughing harder._

 _"I couldn't help but overhear sweetheart. Mind repeating it all to my face?" she continues._

 _I'm still laughing when Elena speaks up, playing along in a high pitch valley girl voice that is supposed to be me._

 _"Oh no, Mr. Mikaelson! I'm like your biggest fan! I..." stifles a laugh. "I didn't mean it. Can I...What is that phrase he tends to say on the show? Oh yeah. "Can I acquit myself?"_

 _"St...Stop..." I stutter between laughs._

 _"No worries love, I'm over it already" continues Bonnie as Klaus. "Can I offer you a drink?"_

 _Elena pretends to faint, placing a backhand on her forehead and I push her playfully in response._

 _"Shut up. That wouldn't happen. I would never apologize for telling him the truth. I don't care who he is."_

 _"Uh-huh," says Bonnie, sarcastically, wide smile on her face,_ _looking at her phone. "You guys ready to go? I have to help Grams open up the Pharmacy in the morning."_

 _"Totally. Damon's waiting for me. He's already texted me twice," says Elena with a worried glance to her phone._

 _"You two go. I'm just waiting for Matt to give me Tyler's takeout to bring home."_

 _"Oh," Elena groans. "Why didn't_ I _think of that?! Damon would definitely have liked a burger. Ugh. Can I still order?"_

 _"I think the kitchen's closed 'Lena," says Bonnie before I can say anything. "It is after 11."_

 _I nod at her regretfully._

 _Elena sighs in defeat. "Great. I'm the worst."_

 _I give her a reassuring hug. "Don't worry. Damon loves you and won't kill you for not bringing food. Just make some cold cuts or hot cocoa or something and do adult things. He'll be alright."_

 _"You're such a good wife Caroline," she mumbles in my shirt before pulling away to look into my eyes._

 _"I wanna be like you when I grow up," she jokes._

 _"Whatever. Get out of here," I say, nudging her away as Bonnie comes in with a goodbye hug._

 _"Next Friday?" she says to confirm our next girls night._

 _"Hell yeah. Bye!" I say with a wink, waving them goodbye as they leave. I eventually turn back to the bar and twiddling my fingers on the bar counter occasionally, waiting for my food._

 _I'm about to call Matt's name when ten minutes pass, but he appears from the back, looking apologetic._

 _"So sorry Care, I got caught up in the back."_

 _"No problem. Tyler doesn't come in until late tonight so I got some time. Figured I'd get him his favorite meal from here when he gets home in case he's hungry."_

 _Matt smiles fondly. "You really love that guy."_

 _"Hey. We dated since high school and he's the first guy to choose me over Elena so yeah I do."_

 _Matt looks momentarily embarrassed, being one of the guys in town in love with Elena for a time over me, and I feel guilty._

 _"Sorry Matt. I didn't mean..."_

 _"It's cool Care. You're the most honest person I know and tells it how it is. Don't apologize," he says with a reassuring smile._

 _I kiss his cheek. "Thanks Matt. How much?"_

 _"Well, you bought like three different meals..."_

 _"They're his favorites!"_

 _"But all three though?"_

 _"He might be in the mood for one and not the other," I defend. "I got to be prepared."_

 _"Yes. Caroline Forbes, the neurotic planner has made her appearance," jokes Matt. "$25.50."_

 _My mouth drops. "Seriously?!"_

 _"Sweet potato fries are extra."_

 _"I thought we were friends!"_

 _"Definitely. $25.50."_

 _I throw him a glare, opening my purse to dig out some money._

 _"It's mortgage week isn't it?" I say, suddenly remembering he's less generous around that time._

 _"You got it."_

 _I smile, shaking my head as I dig deeper into my purse, when I hear a bell chime from the door behind me, ushering someone's arrival._

 _"Sorry man. We're closed."_

 _The guy Matt's talking to comes up beside me slightly out of breath, hands on the counter._

 _"I know, mate. I really hate to be a bother, but..."_

 _I stiffen, nearly pissing my pants, keeping my eyes to the inside of my purse._

That voice. I'd know it anywhere. But it can't be. It just can't, _I think as I slowly look up to take in..._

 _Ohmygod._

 _Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!_

 _"...I was wondering if there is a hotel or pharmacy nearby," says Klaus freaking Mikaelson standing right next to me in that mind bending accent of his that is even more sexy in real life than in TV, making my heart want to grow some wings and fly away. He's wearing sunglasses at the dead of night, a clear disguise to stop anyone from recognizing him._

 _Um. Fail there. Need a voice transplant for that to work on me buddy._

 _"My sister and I are passing through," he continues in a rush. "We don't know the area well so whatever help you can provide will be greatly appreciated."_

 _Matt sighs. "Well. Hate to say it, but you're out of luck. Everything here pretty much closes by 11. The nearest hotel is in Richmond..."_

 _"That's an hour away!" cries Klaus furious._

 _"I know man. Sorry. You can try the hospital if it's something medical related..."_

 _"Out of the question," Klaus says swiftly, starting to pace. "Bekah hates hospitals."_

 _"Then I don't know what to tell you man."_

 _"How about you stop being bloody incompetent and help me?!" He snaps._

 _My eyes narrow at his attitude, the star struckness fading as quickly as it came._

 _"Listen," I butt in. "It's not Matt's fault that they're aren't any hotels around or things are closed, so maybe if you want people to help you, you might want to check the attitude at the door," I tell him sharply._

 _He takes off his sunglasses in his irritation, his gaze falling hotly on me and I have to make a herculean effort not to get caught up in the stormy blue of his eyes._

 _He's so hot..._

 _And pissed._

 _At me._

 _Oh boy._

 _"I don't think I was even speaking to you," he says with a growl._

 _"You weren't," I say with a tilt of my head and a sugar sweet smile upon his approach, arms folded. "But you were disrespecting my friend and I'm not having that."_

 _He's glaring at me, about to give me a piece of his mind, I can tell, but Matt speaks up, coming up beside me._

 _"Caroline. It's cool," he says, and I shrug, giving him his cash. He turns his attention to Klaus. "_ _Listen, we're sorry about your sister, really, but if you aren't going to leave, I'm going to have to call the cops."_

 _I laugh, taking my takeout, preparing to leave. "He'll be right at home there. He goes to jail on a regular basis this one. He's just not drunk this time," I say, cutting him a look._

 _I register the brief shock that saturates his face then and I make my exit, smug._

 _"Night Matt," I say with a backwards wave, not turning back, faintly hearing a "Good night Caroline," as the door shuts._

Sad. Klaus is so cute, but a jerk. Like I thought. Shame really. If I had even the faintest amount of attraction towards him still, it totally went out the window with that performance! Unbelievable that guy!

 _I faintly register a car honking behind me after I cross the street, so consumed I am with my thoughts. Then:_

 _"Caroline!"_

 _Oh HELL no. That isn't Matt._

 _I whirl at Klaus._

 _"Are you serious? Take a hint." I turn away, aggravated now, stomping off._ _"And don't use my name like we know each other. You totally don't get to do that just because you heard Matt say it."_

 _"I'm sorry for my rudeness. Truly. Asking for..."_

 _I glance at him._

 _"...help," he says with difficulty, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Is not something I profess to excel in, but I'm in dire need of a woman's assistance..."_

 _A_ woman's _assistance?! My temper flares up and I spin to face him again, stopping. Of all the sexist, narcissistic..._

 _"...For my sister," he finishes, coming in front of me, averting his gaze from mine with a sigh._

 _I wrinkle my eyebrows in confusion. He looks almost shy now, attitude gone. Why..._

 _My eyes widen._

 _Wait._

 _Pharmacy._

 _Woman's assistance._

 _I guess my face betrays where my mind went._

 _"Yeah. Whatever you're thinking is exactly right love."_

 _The world stops spinning, my heart break dancing in my chest._

 _Dead. So dead. Klaus Mikaelson just called me love._

 _My mind is still computing the endearment that came out of his mouth in reference to me, when he continues, running a hand through his head, uncomfortable, bashful even._

 _And it's almost adorable the concern for his sister._

 _Almost._

 _"She's been going on and on about these bloody cramps for an hour, and I haven't the faintest clue what to do for her with everything being closed. The hospital is not an option, as I said, and..."_

 _I start walking off._

 _He grabs my arm, furious._

 _"Don't turn your back at me!"_

 _"I should of turned my back on you and your sad excuse for a TV show ages ago!" I yell in his face, yanking my arm away from him and walking back to the grill._

 _"And if you would get out of your own way for_ two seconds. _.." I lift two fingers up to drive my point, turning to him and walking backwards._

 _"Maybe I could actually stick around and_ help you _like I'm about to do now."_

 _I watch a slow smile spread his features, making those dimples come out to play._

 _For the first time tonight, I smile back at him._

* * *

 _It's the only black SUV in the lot, sleek, smooth and expensive looking._

 _I open the back seat to find his sister bundled up in a blanket and curled into a ball. She looks up at me slowly, glowering._

 _"Who the bloody hell are you?" she croaks out._

 _I ignore the attitude, understanding it too well and hand her the heated rice sack I got Matt to prepare for us, wrapping it in a nearby shirt that I find next to her._

 _"Here. Put it on your stomach. The heat will tone down the cramping, trust me."_

 _Her eyes narrow. "Trust you? I don't even know..."_

 _"Do it Bekah," Klaus says behind me, strongly. "I'm done running around town. Put the damn thing on your stomach."_

 _She glares at him, angrily taking the sack and following my advice._

 _Instantly, her face softens and looks at me as if she's seen God._

 _"That feels amazing..." she says with a soft smile that I return._

 _"Right? Good stuff. Here."_

 _I take my back up emergency pain meds out of my purse and give her a bottle of water._

 _She gives it an apprehensive look._

 _I roll my eyes. "Seriously? It isn't poison."_

 _"How do I know?" says Rebekah, sass back on._

 _"Guess you don't but then you can go to a hospital..."_

 _"No," she interrupts petulantly._

 _"...Or lay here until the pharmacy opens which isn't until 9am," I finish with a shrug._

 _It's only 11:15 now._

 _She grabs the bottle and the pills, draining them in one go, keeping her rice sack like a life preserver against her._

 _"The rice sack is temporary until the medication kicks in."_

 _"How long is that?" says Klaus in that accent of his, his breath falling on my ear, he's that close._

Think straight Care. Think straight!

 _"Half hour, forty minutes. Depends if she's eaten."_

 _"We haven't ate for 6 hours," she says._

 _I whirl at him. "No way! Cramps ALWAYS get worse when you don't eat!" I tell him._

 _"I told Nik I was hungry but he said to wait till we got to set since they always have a spread and it's free," she says in quiet anger and with a glare._

 _Wow, Klaus. Wow. "How cheap can you be?! Aren't you rich or something?"_

 _"Yes!" he responds back hotly in my face. "And I'd like to stay that way thank you very much! If I indulged Rebekah's every fancy, I'd be a poor sod, begging at a corner somewhere!"_

 _"Stop being a drama queen Nik," she says, commanding our attention. "No wonder Tatia's never home. Even your wife can only deal with you in doses."_

 _I ignore the drop in my stomach that happens when I hear the word wife. I stopped following Klaus on social media last year so I had no idea what happened in his personal life since._

 _Bonnie doesn't care about the show or anyone on it except Nikolas' brother Nate died on the show. Elena though..._

 _Why didn't she tell me?_

 _Anyways._

 _The two are at each other's throats, arguing like typical siblings._

 _Rebekah's cramps are obviously aren't bothering her that much, because she finds the energy to still go toe to toe with..._

 _She suddenly winces in mid tirade, clutching her rice sack tighter._

 _Never mind._

 _"You okay?" I say to her, coming closer._

 _She bites her lip, curling back into her ball. "It hurts," she moans. "It freaking hurts."_

 _Klaus instantly goes back to concerned brother._

 _He leans forward and she curls in his lap, his hand going up to stroke her head affectionately._

 _"Shh...Little Sister. Save your strength. We can fight later."_

 _"Nik...I want to sleep in a bed and I'm hungry," she whines._

 _He sighs, clearly at a loss._

 _Then I'm talking again, moved by the sight before me._

 _"Well, we can go to my place..."_

* * *

 _A few hours later, at my house, the Lockwood Mansion Tyler inherited from his dead parents, I've given Klaus and Bekah Tyler's food, silently happy that I did three orders of food instead of one. I silently hope that Tyler is too tired to care about eating. They clearly needed it more than him, eating most of it in minutes._

 _"You have beautiful home Caroline," says Bekah in between bites. "But you should invest in an interior decorator. It's so_ Gone with the Wind _, unless that's your fancy."_

 _I narrow my eyes at her, hands on my hip beating Klaus to saying anything. "Actually. It's called sophistication and propriety. If you're allergic to that, being a spoiled, entitled brat, you can go right back into the car. It's totally NOT_ Gone with the Wind _in there," I say, with sarcastic smile._

 _Rebekah's mouth drops and turns to Klaus, waiting for him to say something._

 _When he simply takes a bite of his burger and glances at her deadly expression unfazed, she snaps._

 _"Did you just HEAR her?! The hick! Nik, she disrespected me!"_

 _He puts down his food, irritated. "After you disrespected her first! She was kind enough to feed us, to allow us into her home, helping you with your female melodramatics and instead of a thank you, you criticize her home. Brilliant job Bekah," he ends disdainfully, giving her a disapproving look._

 _She gapes at him, flushing crimson. "I...I did not! I was making a helpful observation..."_

 _"...And she was stating an opinion and a reality. If the decor bothers you, you can indeed return to the SUV."_

 _She stands up, affronted._

 _"I will! I can't stand being in this one pony town one more second anyway!"_

 _I shake my head, watching her storm off as I clean up._

 _"At least she's feeling better," I say with a chuckle._

 _He cleans up his mess before I can get to it._

 _"My apologies on her behalf. We Mikaelsons aren't good at expressing feelings."_

 _"No worries," I say, throwing out the garbage and coming to lean on the island counter top between us._

 _"You two are leaving now?"_

 _He sighs, standing up with his plate and bringing it to the sink. He goes for the dish washing soap, but I stop him._

 _"You can leave it. I'll take care..."_

 _He's already squeezing it into the sponge, washing his plate._

 _"Weird you know how to do that being born with a silver spoon in your mouth," I say quietly, hand on my chin, unaware I'm staring a little too long at how his muscles flex under his henley._

 _But he heard me. "Weird that you don't have a cleaning staff," he retorts back at me._

 _"What makes you think that?"_

 _He wipes his hands, smirking at the cleaning gloves, before putting the plate away, coming to me._

 _"I simply don't see a girl knowing about home remedies like that rice concoction you gave my sister, able to embrace everything about the rich life so easily."_

 _Next thing I know, he's reaching out, tucking a stray curl behind my ear, his index finger brushing briefly under my chin before he brings his hand back to his side, my breath catching._

 _I swear I forgot my name._

 _"Plus, the fact you put cleaning materials like dish washing soap and cleaning gloves in an easily accessible place means you use it yourself, otherwise it would be in a storage place somewhere for the cleaning people to use when they come in. More simply," he steps more into my space, "you were going to say you can take care of the cleaning yourself before you stopped speaking."_

 _I smile brightly at his correct reasoning, shaking off the effects of his brief touch._

 _"Guilty. I do some stress cleaning from time to time."_

 _"And whatever would you have to be stressed about? Married life not what you thought?"_

 _I get defensive at that, my eyes narrowing. "Is yours?"_

 _He raises his hands in surrender. "Relax love. Retract the claws. I was simply making conversation."_

 _"Right," I say, starting to walk away. "I think you can find your way out."_

 _"Hey."_

 _He grabs my arm gently, pulling me to him. My hand falls on his chest reflexively so I don't collide into him, my fingers brushing against his necklaces._

 _I suck in a breath at the contact, and look up into his eyes, only to find them filled with a gentleness and warmth I didn't expect._

 _"Thank you, for helping me. Us."_

 _His eyes are really blue and grey at the same time..._

 _"You're welcome Klaus," I say softly, silently falling in love with his dimples when they come out again._

 _His smile broadens. "So you_ do _know who I am."_

 _My eyes widen, recognizing my slip up. "Rebekah..." I start, trying to cover._

 _"Rebekah never calls me Klaus," he cuts me off, the playfulness in his gaze growing as I realize I'm caught._

 _He drives the point further home, however, his gaze turning serious._

 _"After you made that comment about me being very familiar with jails..."_

 _I blush._

 _"You said outside the food establishment your friend owns that you, '...should of turned your back on me and my sad excuse for a TV show ages ago.' "_

I was hoping he was going to forget that.

 _"What did you mean love?" he says softly._

* * *

 **Mystic Falls - Present**

"And what did you say?" comes in Elijah's voice, pulling me out of memory lane.

I take in Elijah and answer him. "I told him the truth."

"Which was?"

"He can be so much greater than a failing TV show," I say, the limo coming into a stop.

I perk up, alert, noticing through the window where I am.

I move to get out, Elijah calling after me, just when the door to my house opens and I freeze, heart stopping.

"No..." I breathe, seeing Klaus.

"Caroline..."

How dare he!

"You told me you wouldn't come back here!" I shout at him. "I guess I can't believe _anything_ you say anymore!"

I see his jaw flex, his hands clenching. "I wouldn't have had to come if you would of just picked up your damn phone!"

"Oh, _now_ you want to act like you care?! You didn't care enough to tell me about my cheating dead husband!"

He storms down the stairs and I can see the dark circles under his eyes, clearly from lack of sleep, the longer stubble.

"Yes!" he shouts. "Please continue to hold that against me love! As if _I'm_ the one who betrayed you!"

I can't even focus on staying angry anymore, taking in his rough state. My anger gives way to my concern for him, more instinct then rationality.

I reach out and touch him. He stiffens, still in attack mode.

"You look terrible," I say softly, studying his face.

His agitated state dissipates, his eyes softening when his hand comes up to cover mine.

 _"_ No one heard from you for three days sweetheart," he whispers in explanation, reaching out to touch me in return.

He leans his forehead into mine, sighing and we both close our eyes, taking in each other.

He squeezes the back of my neck gently and I hum contently.

"I went mad with worry. Never do that to me again Caroline. Please. No matter how angry you are with me," he implores me, his voice coming out tortured and pained.

My heart breaks for hurting him so much. "I'm sorry," I whisper back.

His eyes open in response, trying to see me properly. Not being able to do so because of the sunglasses, he slides them over my head.

"You've been crying," he quickly discovers, his face etched in disapproval.

"It happens when I lose my best friend and I'm not taking it well," I say without thinking.

His face hovers over mine at that, his lips dangerously close to mine.

"You haven't lost me Caroline. You never will."

He tilts my head towards his beautiful lips, and I hold back the moan that threatens to leave me at his intoxicating touch.

"Forgive me, Caroline," he mutters against my lips. "I can't bear to have you hate me. Not you."

My mind is fuzzy, riddled with rising need for him, his plea breaking me down.

"Klaus...I..."

"Caroline!"

I straighten up suddenly to see my mother, Elena and Bonnie come out of the house, staring in wonder at Klaus and I, still close.

Oh no...

My mother is the first to say something.

"Caroline Forbes. You have A LOT of explaining to do," she says, arms folded, glaring at me.

"Perhaps that can wait Sheriff," Elijah says suddenly, forcing us all to turn to him as he comes out the limo. His expression grave, holding his phone in his hand.

Klaus reads his face and he stiffens next to me.

"What is it Elijah?"

"A reliable source just informed me that the media followed us into town. Caroline's identity and her life will be public knowledge in the span of hours if we do not act."

Great. Just when I thought things could not get ANY worse.

* * *

 **A/N That's it! I think we have only one more chapter left guys. Please leave a review.**

 **Answer to guest reviews:**

 **Abby - I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. It's nice to missed :).**

 **Guest - I enjoyed writing the last chapter and reread it myself so I'm glad you approve. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Guest 2 - Uh oh is right. Lots of drama going on in this fic!**

 **Guest 3 - We all hope that Caroline gets to a place where she can overlook Klaus' mistake and can forgive him. She needs to remember the good times and realize he truly cares for her.**

 **Guest 4 - Hope this update has come soon enough. Two weeks isn't too bad right?**


	3. To be or Not to Be

**Chapter 3 - To be or Not to Be- unedited**

 **A/N It has been awhile! I figured I'd update this for Klaroline AU Day 1- All Human. Yes, I'm late, but I can still do something for it...I think?**

 ***shrugs* I'm doing it. Enjoy!**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **My followers** \- vvlexivv, missalexandria, I4u84, goldenhummingbird, krmc, slivka101, sofiamikaelson, ab18, socialelite8, spiritfeather19524, etheraldemon, allieat11, mrmr jo 505, i'llnevereverknow, yourlovestory, irina i, queenvampirebarbie, melissah87, AB18,Allieat11, AlwaysFreeSpirit, Areyafun, Dominic19832002, HockeyWriter19, Krmc, Likeheroine, MissAlexandria, Nadi19, PaperAnimals, slivka101, Socialelite8, SofiaMikaelson, XChristineKimX, chillwithJyl, cho sandy, kdkks, l4u84, mduffy1999, mizkntuhke, nylanna1105, q annie68, talkingshrimps, elfielovesbooks, zoenichole, ilbarqs, differently101, klaroline-kawaiilove, tinkerbell988, nicols29, shellybells-5, rubytuesday2604, mips2020, Klaroline JFX, Joypeacelove, It'sMrsMikaelsonToYou, Flaca514

 **My favoritees -** vvlexivv, missalexandria, I4u84, goldenhummingbird, krmc, slivka101, sofiamikaelson, ab18, spiritfeather19524,allieat11, nicolegarcia001, klaroline-world, chillwithJyl, cho sandy, goldcaught, twincous, lalahn, nicols29, LoveLove ShitShit, It'sMrsMikaelsonToYou,

 **And last but not least, my awesome reviewers:** _Abby, Venus88, arbo, annatom23, guest, dee, nicolegarcia001, guest, guest, guest, sam,_ chillwithJyl, nicols29, It'sMrsMikaelsonToYou, Trislys

 **Answer to Guest reviews at the bottom!**

* * *

 **Klaus POV**

My eyes never leave Caroline who sits next to me in the Forbes' living room couch. From my periphery, I can see her friends staring at us with a mixture of relief, curiosity and excited anticipation, while her mother looks at us warily with noted disapproval.

Elijah, though standing by quiet and stoic, has a glimmer of interest in his eyes, appraising us.

I wonder what he Caroline spoke of on the way here?

Caroline's mother is the first to speak, her stern tone forcing the both of us to acknowledge her.

"Well. I've heard from the girls and...Klaus," she says my name with a distaste that make my eyes narrow, "but I want to hear from you. Caroline, who is he to you?"

My eyes go back to my best friend, who bites her lip, nervous. I hold my breath, awaiting her answer. Up till this point, our connection had been a secret, in a bubble, orbiting around our families but never including them, save Rebekah from time to time. Her words now can keep us in that bubble, even with the press having had caught us kissing at the Oscar party like there wasn't a tomorrow (fond memory, that one). If it is her desire to keep us secret, I would make it so. It was why I had decided to stomach Elijah after his betrayal despite all these years.

But still, a big part of me hoped Caroline wouldn't cover our connection with hostility or revulsion for the sake of her loved ones.

In light of our current predicament, however, even I am unsure as to what our current label was. Would it be friends...then?

Or lovers?

"He's my..." she starts, her face wrinkling as she bites her lip, struggling for a description that fits us. I have to work on not laughing at her adorable expression.

Caroline finally let out a huff, settling on: "It's complicated."

I purse my lips, stifling the laugh that threatens to come out. "Well, that's an understatement love," I manage to say, my lips twitching upward.

Her head snaps in my direction, her glare, piercing as she takes in my amusement. "It's not funny."

I try to cover my smile behind a closed fist, trying to school in my features but failing, a chuckle or two, or three, coming out. "I know, I know," I say between laughs.

She turns her body fully towards me on the couch, irritated. "Then stop laughing!"

I clear my throat and give her my most contrite puppy dog look.

She rolls her eyes, traces of a smile appearing on her lips.

"Well. Whatever you two are, it ends now," cuts in an unwelcomed someone called Liz Forbes, bursting the lightheartedness between us.

Both our eyes snap towards her and I give her a cold, hard look.

"Excuse me?" I growl.

"Seriously?!" cries out Caroline to her mother.

"You heard me. If you are going to run for Mayor, this man is not who you should have by your side. I've done a background check on him Caroline. How many times was he in jail for assault alone? Never mind the DUIs. As a councilman's daughter, a former mayor's wife...Baby. You're better than this. Better than him."

I see red, furious, leaping to my feet.

"Niklaus," comes Elijah's warning tone, but I ignore him, stalking towards Liz.

"She _is_ better than me," I say, my voice hard as iron. "And I don't deserve her, but _she_ decides the relationship I have with her. Not you or _anyone_ else!"

Elena and Bonnie's eyes go wide, gushing over my words as Liz gives me a cool stare of her own. The Forbes fire burns behind her eyes in a way that is reminiscent of her daughter and I can't help but to begrudgingly admire it. "I'm not speaking to you," the insufferable woman says to me, unfazed by me towering over her. "I'm speaking to my daughter..."

"...Who is no longer a child!" I grit out. "How _dare_ you speak to her as..."

"Klaus. Stop," comes Caroline's voice, quiet and defeated. "She's right."

I whirl at her, stunned at her words.

"Caroline..."

"Can you guys give us a sec? I need to talk to him," she says to the others, cutting me off.

Dread wraps around me like a cold mistress as they quietly leave, Bonnie and Elena mumbling assurances to Caroline while her mother throws me one, long disapproving glare as she does so.

Caroline stands at their departure, quickly closing the distance between us and taking my hands in hers.

She sighs, nibbling on her lip nervously, her eyes pointedly taking in our joined hands till I have to tell her:

"Love. Look at me."

She shakes her head, stubbornly staring our hands, her grasp tightening.

"I need to be honest with you about why I came to the Oscars," she says softly. "Why I made you promise to walk away and never come back here all those months ago."

I stiffen at her words, anxiety taking over my senses as she speaks. Had I not always wondered why she pushed me away after Tyler died? Spent sleepless nights, worrying about her, yearning to go to her, but unable to because of that promise?

"Truth is, I've been rebuilding a life for myself since Tyler died," she says. "I have plans and a future and things that I want now, and...and..." her voice breaks, "...none of those things involve you, okay? None of them. Not anymore."

I drop her hands like she's dealt me a physical blow. Then, I lock on to her last words:

 _Not anymore._

"But I was part of them at some point, wasn't I?"

She finally looks at me at that moment, and a part of me dies inside at the pain I see in her baby blue eyes.

"When Tyler died, you have no _idea_ how much I wanted to leave everything and go to you," she says tearfully and I swear, my very being soars at her confession. "But...But, then, people started talking about how the town needed to find a new Mayor. Someone smart, someone who could bring everyone together...Organized..."

".. And of course, a former councilman's daughter and the wife of the now deceased mayor would be a perfect fit," I finish stiffly.

"Yes."

"And God forbid anyone gets a whiff of your dirty little secret in the form of me," I can't help but add bitterly, my blood beginning to boil in fury at the thought that the one woman who I thought understood me, cared for me, would cast me aside!

She shakes her head, unhappy. "Klaus..."

"No. I understand love," I spit out. "Can't let the big bad ruffle those perfect feathers. Whatever will this one pony town do without the neurotic, pretty blonde to manage and plan everything?" I mock loudly.

Her sad demeanor switches to anger in an instant. "God! Can you _stop_ and not go drama queen on me?!"

I huff, offended, folding my arms at the barb.

"Do you think this is easy for me?" she adds in an upset rush. "To let you go? To say...good-bye?" she finishes, with her voice breaking with emotion.

Her hurt cannot rival my own. My hurt is much too potent, propelling angry words out of my mouth.

"Then why the hell did you accept my invitation?" I growl at her, crowding her space, "Why did come?!"

"Because I still wanted to see you!" she blurts out. "To be with you on the biggest day of your life!"

"Then why leave me?!" I explode, hot tears springing up that I fight to beat back. "Why leave that night? Why stay here amongst people who care nothing of what you want and only on how to use you?"

She looks torn at my words. "I..."

"What about what _you_ need? What _you_ want? When do you get to be selfish Caroline? When do you get to put yourself first?"

She shakes her head with disdain. "Not everyone can be you Klaus."

I close my eyes, absorbing her words, then I reach out to touch her cheek, my heart skipping when she raises her hand to cover mine. "But you _are_ me Caroline," I whisper. "We're the same. We have dreams. Things to do, to see. You and I...Can't be caged."

Her face softens at that, my thumb stroking her soft cheek. "You _know_ this," I tell her earnestly.

Her eyes are shining with emotion as I continue, and I draw our faces closer, foreheads touching. "What happened to the woman who talked me out of killing myself when Henrik died?" I choke out, the memory so raw. "Who wanted to travel the world, to have a life outside of Mystic Falls?"

"Klaus..."

I swallow. "Where is she Caroline? Where is the woman who saw the best in a broken man who couldn't bear to even look at himself? Caroline..."

 _Where is the woman I fell in love with?_ I want to say, but not having the courage to say it aloud.

She sighs, her hand reaching to cup my jaw as I continue to caress hers.

"Come with me," I say huskily. "Come to Los Angeles. Come to Rome, Paris..."

A weak smile appears on her lips at the reference. "...Tokyo. Anywhere but here. Leave this Mayor business behind. If your mother fancies it so much, she can bloody run for the position."

A light laugh leaves her lips, her eyes snapping up to get lost with mine.

The very air around us starts to get charged when my eyes dip down to her lips, remembering her taste, the press of her lips against mine.

I lean forward, not even realizing it until she mutters weakly: "No."

My eyes don't leave her tempting lips. "Why?" I utter, my voice coming out wreaked and wanting.

"I can't leave them."

My eyes go to meet her hooded ones, my heart breaking. "But you can leave me?"

Her eyes widen, her mouth parts, but says nothing, wrestling with herself.

In her indecision, I pull her flush against me by her hips, her plaint body melting into mine. Tilting her head, I murmur in her ear, the feel of her body against mine, the most delicious pressure making my eyes close to revel in it.

"You may be ready to leave me now, but one day, maybe in year, or a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."

She pulls away, our eyes locking intensely on the other, my words settling in and throwing her mind in disarray, if the turmoil I see on her face is anything to go by.

I dare to hope. Praying to a God that I don't believe in to make her choose me.

"Did our night together really mean nothing to you?"

She takes a shuddering breath, shutting her eyes.

Her long silence tells me enough. It makes my hands fall to my sides, and allows room for one emotion to come through:

Rejection.

So potent, my head goes down in momentary defeat before my anger flares.

My head snapping back up, I hiss at her, fists clenched: "Mark my words: Small town life, it won't be enough for you."

With that, I storm out of the room, feeling her eyes on me as I pass all of them, including Elijah and her friends who look saddened in the hallway, having heard everything, as I stride out of the house.

I can hear Elijah's footsteps behind me as the the driver opens the door to the limo, allowing me to slide into the seat and seethe.

Damn her.

Damn her, for coming into my life. Damn her for making me care.

"So I gather your reunion with Ms. Forbes did not go well?" asks Elijah, now sitting beside me.

"Use your contacts in the media," I say, devoid of emotion and ignoring his question. "Make the situation involving Caroline go away."

There is a pause. Then...

"Niklaus..."

"After it's done, no one will never speak her name to me again. She doesn't exist."

Elijah lets out a heavy sigh before he concedes.

"Very well..."

"Good."

"...But she cares for you. Deeply. Do you truly wish to throw that away?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you," I say bitingly, looking pointedly out the window.

With a deep sigh and a shake of his head, I hear Elijah pull out his phone, booking us a flight. As we drive further away and closer to the airport, the pain in my chest grows until I reach for a liquor bottle and drown in my sorrows.

Marking the start of my life without Caroline Forbes.

* * *

Elijah manages to get the story of Caroline and I put on hold until be can negotiate terms that works for all of us.

"It should be done within a day or two," he promises.

I can't find it in me to care.

I end up arriving late to my mansion in Los Angeles, calling a driver to pick me up because I'm so tired.

When I get home, I freeze when the driver pulls up in front of the blond I thought I'd never see again, sitting on a suitcase, waiting for me at my gate.

Robotically, I throw the door open and step out, watching her as she gets to her feet to stand before me, talking:

"Okay. What took you so long?" she huffs, hands on her hips. "I'm tired and hungry and my butt hurts! I was about to pick the lock, but then I remembered you have that stupid fingerprint _lock_ thing," she cries in exasperation and so adorably that I smile, "...So that wouldn't work. Then, I realized, rushing here after you, that I forgot my curling iron and I _definitely_ don't have enough clothes because of that which means we're definitely going shopping-"

She gasps when I grab her roughly, kissing her...

Long and deep.

Our hands fly up into each other hairs, pulling, caressing till we have to come up for air.

Looking into her lustful gaze, all I can think of ravishing her till all she can do is say my name in ecstasy.

"Friends don't kiss each other like that," she says breathlessly.

"I know," I whisper, our lips brushing. "Lovers do."

Her eyes go wide with that, the meaning of my words not lost on her.

"So tell me: Which will it be?" I ask, my heart thundering in my chest. "Friends...Or lovers?"

She stays silent a long while, her gaze assessing.

When she starts to open her mouth to answer, I know that whatever she says, one thing will remain true:

I intend to be her last love, however long it takes.

* * *

 **A/N So I think I have another chapter (or two) in me for this fic. Next time: Klaroline goes public, but does Klaus finally get his wish of his best friend becoming the love of his life :)? Don't forget to leave a girl a review!  
**

 **BTW- My Drabble, The Confessions of a Dying Hybrid, got Drabble of the week and is on the ballot to be voted for Drabble of the Month (April) on Klaroline Magazine! If you're up for more fic to read, check out the fics on the ballot (including mine ;) ) and vote!**

 **Answer to guest reviews:**

 **Guest 1 - Sorry I took so long, but hope you're happy with the update!**

 **Sam - Thanks for you encouraging words. I plan to finish this so I don't think it will go to waste.**

 **Guest 2 - You should feel special! You took the time to comment on my work so I think that always deserves a reply :).**

 **Guest 3 - Glad you love it and I do plan to write more!**

 **Guest 4 - Glad you are a fan of long chapters. This didn't go that long, unfortunately, because I have other fics to update for AU week, but hopefully, the next one will be longer.**

 **Guest 5 - I'm glad the premise of the story appeals to you. I enjoy writing their connection too because there is nothing special about Caroline, yet somehow, this ordinary, average girl, understands him better than anyone. It's cool. It makes them human first, and whatever society views them as second.**


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